Category Archives: Larmer Tree Festival

I regard the Larmer Tree Festival as a home banker. I have been attending the festival for well over half of its 26 year history and for my family the festival has become a home banker. i enjoy the festival so much because it is small, friendly and most of all because it continues to evolve year on year. It looks like this year will be no exception.

Larmer Tree Festival returns this summer, presenting the adventurous, the absorbing and the unforgettable, with an all-new programme of music, comedy, theatre, poetry and more across five days (13th-17th July 2016).

Set in Victorian gardens in the stunning landscape of the Cranborne Chase, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty spread across Dorset and Wiltshire, Larmer Tree is the quintessential party; an intimate and eccentric festival perfect for first-timers and experienced festival-goers alike.

As any diehard festival fan will tell you you develop an affection for a festival based on its vibe much more that for who happens to be appearing on the main stage. That said the line-up this year is taking shape and looks to be Larmer Tree’s strongest for a number of years.

Larmer Tree 2015

Clean Bandit, the electronic music masters are headlining this year’s Main Stage. Their signature blend of electronic music with classical pieces by composers such as Mozart and Shostakovich has lead to their most recent single Rather Be selling well over a million copies.

With a Grammy, two Golden Globes, two GQ Man of the Years, three Brits, three Sony Radios and numerous other nominations and awards under his belt, we are over the moon to welcome Jamie Cullum to Larmer Tree 2016. The festival will once again present its attendees with a customarily diverse offering where electronic meets traditional, jazz meets folk.

Having wowed across the world Caro Emerald, with her infectious mix of jazz, pop and electro-swing, is coming to charm the Main Stage. The record-breaking Dutch singer is known for her style, and we expect her performance to be as timeless as she is.

Larmer Tree Saturday

Crossing global barriers as well as musical, Calexico’s international mix of artists is the reason for their eclectic releases. With a sound which adapts and evolves as the band visit new places, we’re excited to see the result of Larmer Tree’s infectious vibrancy!

Poetry, Literature & Talks Headliner

Larmer Tree’s poetry and spoken word headliner is Dr John Cooper Clarke, who will be taking to the ARC stage. An original, performance ‘punk poet’, Clarke has toured with punk and reggae legends including the Sex Pistols, Elvis Costello and Joy Division, with his characteristic set of lively, rapid-fire, a cappella poetry.

Family Festivaling

Larmer Tree has an exciting special guest for the littlest festival-goers of 2016. Pop along and say ‘Ello!’ to Mr Bloom from CBeebies. There’ll be a bundle of veggie stories, gardening games and catchy Nursery songs for Tiddlers and Parents alike.

Gabrielle Aplin, with her melodious vocals and girl-next-door charm will be returning to grace the Main Stage as will Lau, the free-thinking visionaries regarded as the epicentre of the new folk boom. Between them, these two acts boast shelves groaning with awards, countless ecstatic reviews and breathless plaudits from excited audiences world-wide and Lau absolutely brought the house down when they played the Arc back in 2014.

Larmer Tree Saturday

Four years ago, Jack Savoretti had had enough of scratching a living as an independent artist, of business bust-ups, of being touted as a soon-to-be star. Now, he shines as one of the brightest stars in 2016, recently completing a sold-out headline UK and Ireland tour which finished at London’s Shepherd’s Bush Empire and was rated four stars by The Independent. Afro Celt Sound System return to Larmer Tree this year to captivate the crowd, fusing electronic dance music with traditional Irish and West African music.

Launching in 2016 is The Chase, a stage championing the best in new music, showcasing artists such as Rozi Plain who will be singing individually as well as alongside the hushed horns and electronic textures of This is the Kit. Artists performing in The Chase are part of an eclectic programme of skronk jazz, space folk and twisted pop; from the acoustic sounds of The Wave Pictures to Cristobal and the Sea’s Southern Mediterranean tropicalia pop, with further acts including Melt Yourself Down and Hillbenders, the Missouri band who tribute The Who in rock opera Tommy.

The Chase stage has been hand-curated by the festival’s newest team members Todd Wills and Matt Aitken, music programmers behind Bristol’s home of music, Colston Hall. With an emphasis on discovering both emerging talent and musicians who deserve to be on your radar, The Chase promises to be a firm festival favourite.

Larmer Tree 2015

Away from The Chase, Treacherous Orchestra’s musical gaelic ferocity and the lively foot-stomping blues from Dana Immanuel & The Stolen Band cater to the high-energy. Yet as always, songwriters and folk will also take a leading role in proceedings and Martin Simpson & Dom Flemons, Ethan Johns & Black Eyed Dogs, Sound of the Sirens and Fenne Lily are all expected to shower you with smooth rhythms, acoustic guitar and hair-raising vocals.

Larmer Tree always attracts performers from across the world like Rev Peyton’s Big Damn Band who come bearing Country Blues from Indiana, but this year the representation of eclectic British acts is astounding. From the hillbilly swing of Urban Pioneers and the dark jazz texture of The Chris Woods Groove Orchestra to Lady Maisery’s revival of the dying art of tune singing and the lively Caribbean roots music of Edward II, this year’s festival truly has it all.

I don’t know about you but I know where I will be between 13th-17th July.

Tickets for this years Larmer Tree Festival are available from here and this year under 10’s go free.

The Larmer Tree Festival has long been one of the first events that go into my calendar. The festival is local to me, the range of music and comedy is eclectic to say the least and of course it takes place in the stunning setting of Larmer Tree gardens.

Another reason that the Larmer Tree sees me going back year after year is the fact that they always manage to pull a surprise or two out of the bag.

It seems that Larmer Tree Festival 2016 will be no exception. It has become a tradition at Larmer Tree for the festival to open on Wednesday evening with a headliner that is likely to appeal to the local populous and perhaps to those for whom five days camping may be just a bit too much.

Since the Wednesday opener began Van Morrison, Jools Holland and laterally Sir Tom Jones have graced the Larmer lawn. I confess I was hoping that this years opener would be someone other than Sir Tom and so it has proved.

This years Wednesday headliner will be Jamie Cullum. Now I really did not see that one coming. Having sold over 10-million album’s the pop-jazz crossover has a huge following and is sure to be a huge hit with those who like to spend their Wednesday opening night chilling out with a bottle of wine listening to smooth jazz.

In what will doubtless prove to be an interesting contrast of styles English/Italian singer songwriter Jack Savoretti who is a tremendous live act. I listened to a fair bit of Savoretti last year on the run up to Beautiful Days Festival but it wasn’t until I saw him perform live that everything clicked into place.

Did you make it along to this years Larmer Tree Festival? It seems hardly possible that it is already a month in the past. My how time flies. I thought it would be nice to share a few of mt favourite shots of the festival with you all.

I always say that at every music festival I attend I find at least one artist whose music blows me away. There is always an unexpected delight hiding away somewhere waiting to be discovered.

Last week at the Larmer Tree festival it was the music of Joe francis, “Winter Mountain.” Joe is an excellent songwriter, he delivers his music with passion and is a thoroughly nice guy into the bargain. I was lucky enough to spend some time talking to Joe about music and just hanging out over a beer.